Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire — Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected as the new President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), following a vote by the institution’s Board of Governors during the Bank’s 2025 Annual Meetings held in Abidjan.
Tah’s election was officially announced by Nialé Kaba, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development and Chairperson of the Board of Governors — the highest decision-making body of the Bank, composed of Finance and Economy Ministers or Central Bank Governors from the Group’s 81 member countries.
To win, a candidate must secure at least 50.01% of both the regional and non-regional member votes.
Tah, a seasoned Mauritanian economist and financial leader, brings over 35 years of experience in African and international development finance. He most recently served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) from 2015, where he spearheaded a major transformation, quadrupling the bank’s balance sheet and earning it a prestigious AAA credit rating. His tenure repositioned BADEA as one of Africa’s top-rated development finance institutions.
He also previously served as Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance and has held influential positions in multilateral development institutions. Tah played a key role in crisis response, financial sector reform, and resource mobilisation, notably overseeing the launch of BADEA’s $1 billion callable capital program to support African multilateral development banks.
The presidential race attracted five candidates. In addition to Tah, the contenders included: Amadou Hott (Senegal), Samuel Maimbo (Zambia), Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad) and Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa).
The Board’s selection process followed a rigorous evaluation, with candidate submissions closing on January 31, 2025, and official announcements made on February 21.
Tah will formally take office on September 1, 2025, succeeding outgoing president Dr. Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, whose second term ends this year. Dr. Adesina has served since 2015.
Tah’s election comes at a pivotal time, as the Bank enters its seventh decade. Despite climate challenges, economic volatility, and shifting global dynamics, Africa’s resilience remains strong. However, the continent faces urgent pressure to accelerate development progress in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals — efforts that align with the Bank’s operational strategy known as the “High 5s.”
This year’s Annual Meetings are being held under the theme: “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.”
The African Development Bank Group is composed of three entities — the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund, and the Nigeria Trust Fund. Its 81 shareholders include 54 African nations (regional member countries) and 27 non-African states (non-regional member countries), making it one of the largest multilateral development institutions in Africa.
Tah becomes the ninth President of the Bank since its founding in 1964. Previous heads of the African Development Bank Group include:
1. Mamoun Beheiry (Sudan), 1964–1970
2. Abdelwahab Labidi (Tunisia), 1970–1976
3. Kwame Donkor Fordwor (Ghana), 1976–1980
4. Willa Mung’Omba (Zambia), 1980–1985
5. Babacar N’diaye (Senegal), 1985–1995
6. Omar Kabbaj (Morocco), 1995–2005
7. Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda), 2005–2015
8. Akinwumi Adesina (Nigeria), 2015–2025